PGA DFS Playbook for the Masters: Top DraftKings & FanDuel PGA DFS Picks

You make the call between Rahm and Scheffler because both of them have too many reasons to play them this weekend.  The only negatives are that Rahm has never won here and no one has repeated since 2001-2002.  I’m going to start with Rory because I believe that this will be the year that he breaks through at the Masters.  We all know he’s looking to complete that career grand slam and end his major’s slump since 2015.  I don’t need to repeat his stats because we all know how good he is.  Rory has finished inside the Top 5 at the Masters in three of his last five trips to Augusta.    

EVERYONE and their mother are going to be on Cameron Smith this weekend.  The reason is sound being the reigning Open Champion and having never missed the cut at the Masters with multiple close calls.  I know I’m going to save salary and ownership with Spieth this weekend.  He has one win, two 2nds and two thirds in his career at the Masters.  We’ve seen extreme highs and the lowest of lows in his history at Augusta but his game is made for this course.  He’s at the top of the tour in Tee to Green, Around the Green, Scrambling and Sand Saves.    

Here is another play against the ownership.  Max Homa seems to be one of the hottest names spread around the DFS PGA world.  The reasons are extremely valid knowing that he’s already won twice this year and has one of the most well rounded games on the tour.  I’ll pay the extra $100 for Justin Thomas who has a much better record at Augusta.  He’s never missed the cut in seven trips to Augusta with two Top 10s and another four finishes of 22nd or better.  While he hasn’t had the success that Homa has had this season, Thomas does have two Top 10s and another four Top 25s.  Thomas tops the PGA Tour in Around the Greens and ranks Top 12 in Tee to Green.

Another guy you can play to avoid the high ownership of Max Homa this weekend.  I will say that I’m hearing a lot of talk about Collin because of his skill level and price tag.  The two time major winner has improved in each of his visits to Augusta starting with a 44th in 2020, then 18th in 2021 and 5th last year.  I’d love to see more consistency in his game this season but it’s been very boom or bust for the 26-year-old.  He has finishes of 2nd, 3rd, 6th and 13th in his last seven starts with two missed cuts.  He ranks 2nd in Approach, 3rd in Driving Accuracy, 4th in Tee to Green, 6th in Greens in Regulation, 11th in Scoring Average, and 13th in Birdie Average.  I think he could sneak up and win the whole thing this weekend. 

Dustin Johnson is playing on the LIV Tour now.  He has made it clear he doesn’t regret the decision and is ready to go this weekend.  There are very few LIV players that I would trust this weekend and he is one of them.  We just don’t know how to judge their current form because of the style of their tournaments.  Dustin knows Augusta better than most anyone out there this weekend.  He won a green jacket back in 2020 and has a 2nd, 4th, 6th, 10th and 12th place finish over his last seven trips.  The price tag is just too tempting to avoid with his skill level and history.   

Four Top 10 finishes and another three Top 20s over his last seven starts on the PGA Tour.  The guy is playing like he’s in his mid-20s once again and it’s great to see.  The 12-time PGA Tour winner has worked his way back to 35th in the world rankings after falling outside the Top 100.  We are going to ignore his missed cuts in his last two trips to Augusta because his game isn’t where it is right now.  Prior to that, he had a 2nd, 3rd, 5th and 10th with another four Top 30 finishes.  He currently ranks 37th or better in all of the major strokes gained categories as well as Scoring Average, Birdie Average, Greens in Regulation, Scrambling, Sand Saves, and Putting Average.  The former number one player in the world is rounding into form at just the right time for the major season.  

I feel like he’ll slip under the radar this weekend because of all the other big names.  We know he won his green jacket back in 2021 but Hideki has another five Top 15 finishes in his career at the Masters.  Matsuyama finished 5th at the Players and 15th at the Valero last week in his last two stroke play events.  The veteran ranks 16th in Around the Green, 18th in Scrambling, and 29th in Tee to Green.  While I’m not expecting him to win, at this price tag, making the cut and finishing Top 20 is exactly what I’m hoping for this weekend.

Most thought Will had recovered from his off-season back surgery but his last few outings have been sub-par.  My hope is his early exit from the match play and the week off will have him physically ready to go at Augusta.  He has been to the Masters twice and hasn’t finished below 6th.  The game sets up nicely for this course and it shows in his results.  He ranks 8th in Birdie Average, 14th in Off the Tee, 26th in Greens in Regulation, and 34th in Tee to Green.  We’ve seen him come so close multiple times on the biggest stage, he just needs to finish and I think the flood gates open for him.   

I feel like the form is getting right at a perfect time.  He’s improved his finish in three straight stroke play events coming into Augusta.  We saw him finish 6th at THE PLAYERS in an event with a very similar field.  Sungjae has two Top 10 finishes at the Masters in three starts including a runner up in 2020 to Dustin Johnson.  He ranks 10th in Scoring Average, 13th in Tee to Green, 15th in Off the Tee, 16th in Birdie Average, 17th in Scrambling, 26th Driving Accuracy, 30th in Around the Green, and 46th in Greens in Regulation.  While I do like Fitzpatrick and Lowry, I think the upside is higher with Sungjae.

If you’ve been reading my articles for the last few years, you know how much I love this kid.  He’s been a professional since he was a teenager and knows how to compete on the biggest stages.  The 24-year-old crushed my soul when he signed with the LIV Tour because I feel like he ruined his future but it’s hard to turn down that money.  He’s one of the few guys on the LIV Tour I believe could win this weekend because of his raw talent.  These guys are all coming in with a chip on their shoulder with a sense of something to prove.  He has improved his finish in each of his two visits to Augusta.  The fact that you can get him for under 8K is a steal despite not knowing what kind of form he’s in. 

Tommy Fleetwood may have seven international victories, but he still has not broken through on the PGA Tour.  It seems like it’s been years of us waiting for him to take that next step.  He came really close at the Valspar finishing third.  In his last 11 starts on the PGA Tour, he has missed just one cut with four Top 5 finishes.  Tommy has made the cut in his last five trips to Augusta National with three Top 20 finishes including last year.  The 32-year-old ranks 2nd in Around the Green, 12th in Tee to Green, 25th in Approach, 36th in Birdie Average and 51st in Scrambling.  While the numbers aren’t much to write home about, we know that he is capable of much better.  He knows how to play this course and while I don’t think he wins, Tommy should pay off his value. 

I don’t have to get into a lot of detail here.  Corey won the Valero for the second time in his career last weekend which makes it 15 cuts made in his last 17 starts with 12 Top 30 finishes.  The talented Canadian has a terrific record at Augusta featuring three straight Top 10 finishes.  It does surprise me a bit because of his very inconsistent putting but his ball striking is always top tier on tour.  He currently ranks 14th in Greens in Regulation, 17th in Birdie Average, 19th in Off the Tee, 24th in Tee to Green, 26th in Approach, and 49th in Scoring Average.  He will be highly owned but at this price tag, it’s impossible to ignore it.  

Yep, we got back to the typical Si Woo roller coaster ride at the Valero Texas Open.  He made the cut but finished 39th for the week.  He has made the cut in 12 of his 13 starts this season with a win at the Sony Open in Hawaii.  Kim has five Top 30 finishes in his last seven starts.  Si Woo has made the cut at the Masters in five straight trips with three Top 25 finishes in his career.  He currently ranks 21st in Driving Accuracy, 23rd in Tee to Green, 28th in Approach, 35th in Scoring Average, 39th in Greens in Regulation, 40th in Birdie Average, and 45th in Scrambling.  I love him in tournaments because of his massive upside anytime he tees it up.   

I don’t see anyone talking about Russell this weekend.  That may not be a surprise because you haven’t seen him on the leaderboard much this season.  He did score a Top 20 at THE PLAYERS and the Match Play.  Russell has a nice history at Augusta with five straight cuts made with two Top 15 finishes and no finish lower than 31st.  He leads the PGA Tour in Driving Accuracy and also 24th in Proximity, 35th in Greens in Regulation, 41st in Around the Green, 47th in Birdie Average, 56th in Off the Tee, and 56th in Tee to Green.  This is my favorite under the radar value option this weekend.  

This is a purely tournament play this weekend.  Gooch is another one of the LIV Players that comes with great risk.  We just don’t know how to judge his recent form with these LIV events being only 54-holes and not every single week.  I’m willing to throw Gooch into lineups because typically he was a 7K or even an 8K player when he was on the PGA Tour and now you are getting him at 6K.  Also, he finished Top 15 in his debut at Augusta last year.

Willett has been battling through a shoulder injury since early in 2023 but seeing him make five straight cuts heading into this weekend makes me feel confident playing him at this price tag.  He scored a Top 20 finish at the Genesis.  If you have forgotten, he won a green jacket in 2016 and has seven international wins.  The big stage does not bother him.  Despite the injury, he ranks 3rd in Scrambling, 28th in Sand Saves, 29th in Around the Green, 32nd in Putting, 61st in Proximity, 73rd in Scoring Average, and 73rd in Tee to Green.  He won’t go under the radar this weekend being a former champ still playing good golf and sitting at such a low price tag.    

I am willing to throw Charl in a cash lineup but probably won’t.  He’s another LIV Player that comes with great risk.  We just don’t know how to judge his recent form with these LIV events being only 54-holes and not every single week.  I’m willing to play Charl because he’s got a green jacket hanging in his closet at home and has three straight cuts made with finishes of 26th or better at the Masters.  He actually was one of the better players last year on the LIV Tour.  While this season hasn’t been as strong, his course knowledge and history make him a worthy player especially at such a cheap price tag.